


A Different Course

by skyewardfan



Category: Roswell (TV 1999)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:28:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24071392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyewardfan/pseuds/skyewardfan
Summary: Set after Tess takes off on the Granolith. This story is in place of the third season. Maria & Michael didn't sleep together. Liz didn't take Max back. This is my 3rd season. Stong language & mature situations. Michael/Liz
Relationships: Maria DeLuca/Michael Guerin, Max Evans/Liz Parker, Michael Guerin/Liz Parker
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

Maria and Liz were at the Crashdown alone. It was an hour till opening and they were getting the place ready to open.

"Do you know when Max will be back?" Maria asked.

Liz rolled her eyes. Her friend was never going to get the fact that she was over Max Evans. "No, Maria. Will you stop asking about him? I don't care."

"Liz, come on. You have to get over that. You love Max, I know you do. You guys are perfect together."

"No, Maria!" The anger and annoyance at Maria had finally built up. "I don't love him anymore. I've learned to deal with the fact that we aren't going to be together and even if we could, I wouldn't go back to him!"

"But why Liz?!"

"Maria! He slept with Tess! He's was an ass to me and Kyle! He trusted her and she killed ALEX! I get she's pregnant with his son and he had to let her go because of it but he still let her go! If he'd have kept it in his pants we would've let Alex's murder go! God, she wasn't even sorry! He fought with me after Alex died! He wanted me to believe Alex committed suicide so he wouldn't have to face reality!" Liz growled under her breath to calm herself. "Max is a different person and so am I. As much as he and you want us to go back to what we had, we can't. Too much has happened, too much has changed."

"Hey, what's up?" Michael came through the back putting on an apron.

"Morning." Liz smiled wanting to forget her conversation with Maria. "You're here early."

"Yea, well I just got off graveyard from Meta-Chem. I decided to come straight here or else I'd fall asleep. Is it ok, if I start my shift early?"

Liz nodded. She watched as Michael approached Maria and kissed her good morning. Her stomach did a little flip and she felt a twitch in her heart. She was happy Maria had someone who loved her. Michael and Maria looked like they were finally in sync. They looked happy. For the first time, Liz was jealous of Maria. Michael had stayed behind for her. He had given up the chance to go back to his home planet, the very thing he'd been wishing for his entire life, he'd given that up for Maria. He'd found his home with her.

Michael had told this to Liz about a week after Tess had left. Liz was grateful to Michael because he was making her best friend happy but in most part, because if he hadn't come back out of the pod chamber then they wouldn't have been able to expose Tess for what she really was.

"Liz?" Maria poked her friend in the arm.

"Sorry. What?" Liz didn't know she'd spaced out for that long but Maria was beside her and Michael was looking at her with an odd expression.

"Are you ok?" Maria asked her.

She nodded. "Just thinking."

"Think a little less intense next time. You kinda freaked us out." Michael picked up a towel and started cleaning the counter.

Liz nodded and they all went back to work.

At lunchtime, Isabel and Kyle came by to have lunch with the group. Maria, Liz and Michael took their lunch to sit with them.

"You guys wanna catch a movie tonight?" Kyle suggested taking a drink.

"I can't." Isabel answered.

They all looked at her and she answered quickly, "I have a study session."

Liz frowned but shrugged. O—kay.

"I work." Michael answered. "Thank God I have the next two days off!"

Liz gave him a sad smile. The poor guy looked overworked. "Michael, I'm sure you can take off. We've got the kitchen covered."

Michael shook his head. "Nah, it's fine. I need the cash"

"I have to help my mom with some deliveries." Maria answered Kyle's earlier question.

"How about you, Liz? You busy tonight?" Kyle looked so desperate, she had to smile.

"No. Did you want to go to the cinema or stay in for the night?"

Kyle thought about it and said, "Definitely stay in. I can grunge on pizza and snacks."

"Add some ice cream to that and you have yourself a good girls night." Liz joked.

Kyle smiled at her like he wanted to slap her behind the head.

Liz and the others laughed.

Not long after that, Isabel made an excuse about leaving because of homework, who nobody really bought.

Liz turned to Michael to see if he was concerned that something was going on.

Michael met her eyes and said, "I'm sure it's nothing. If she's keeping something, it's nothing related to us. Family stuff I guess. Don't worry about it. I'd know if something was wrong with her."

Liz nodded. I guess he's right. He knows her best and he wouldn't cover up for her, not if it concerned the group.

"I better get back to work." Liz stood from the table and started to pick up their plates.

"Yea, we better get up too." Michael nudged Maria to get up.

"Hey, Liz. You think I can get a slice of pie?" Kyle took another sip of his drink.

She nodded and brought his the slice of pie. She'd noticed that since Tess had left, Kyle had stopped his daily exercise and was mainly eating junk food. Sometimes he'd eat like a pig and other days he'd go without eating. She'd ask him about it tonight.

"He's been eating a lot." Michael said when she went into the back to put the dirty plates in the sink.

She nodded. "That's what I was just thinking. But you know he's always eaten like this."

"Yea, but he's not going out. I haven't seen him play ball in a while and he stopped exercising. You think it's got something to do with Tess?"

"I'm going to ask him about it tonight?" She was now more concerned than before. If Michael has seen it, maybe I'm right to worry.

"You're going to ask who what?" Maria interrupted her thoughts.

"Kyle." Both she and Michael answered.

"Ask him about what?" Maria grabbed a strawberry from the counter, bit into it, and looked at Liz and Michael like she was confused.

"About the way he's been since Tess left." Liz explained.

Maria frowned and looked out the window towards Kyle sitting in the booth. "The way he's been acting? What do you mean?"

Is she serious?

"You haven't noticed he's been acting a little weird lately?" Michael gave Maria one of his looks like she was the one who was alien.

She shrugged. "Guess I haven't been paying attention." And then went about grabbing some orders and taking them out.

Liz and Michael stared after her. They turned to each other and shook their heads.

"She can be a little spacey sometimes. You know how she is." Liz defended her friend although she had a bad taste in her mouth while she made the excuse.

"She can't be that self-involved Liz. She doesn't pay attention to anyone but herself sometimes. It's like the only thing that matters is that she's happy. You guys lost a friend last year because of what Tess did. I don't want us, you, to lose Kyle to her too. There's something wrong with him and it scares me that Maria isn't seeing it." Michael washed his hands and threw the dishtowel he used to dry them at the wall.

Meanwhile, Kyle finished his pie, left some cash on the table, and walked down Main Street.

What can I do? I have to stay distracted. Can't stop to think. Bad memories. Keep yourself occupied. Don't let mind clear. Bad memories. Alex in a body bad. I loaded him in the back seat. Bad memories. Have to keep busy. What do I do? He spotted the grocery store. "I'll buy some stuff for tonight. Yea, have the snacks and food ready so we'll be ready to watch a movie soon as Liz gets to my place."

He walked in and instead of getting a small basket, he grabbed a cart.

He made a mental note of everything they needed for the night and kept his mind going on the list. He hated it when his boss gave him days off. He had too much time on his hands and not enough things to do or think of to keep his mind under control.

He turned the corner and hit a couple who were making out in the aisle. "Oh, sorry. Didn't see—" but he stopped short when he met Isabel's eyes. He smiled when her face turned pink.

Isabel finally cleared her throat. "Jesse, this is my friend Kyle."

The man named Jesse, who Kyle suspected was at least 8 years Isabel's senior turned and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Jesses smiled.

Kyle smiled as well.

"Kyle, Jesse just started working at my father's office." She gave him a 'don't say a word' look and Kyle almost laughed.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later then." Was all Kyle could say to stop himself from laughing. "Nice meeting you, Jesse."

Jesse nodded. "You too, man."

Kyle pushed his cart down the aisle and almost died. Gosh, that was great. I knew she was lying about studying tonight. I wonder how long she's been lying to us?

Later, at the Crashdown, Liz noticed that Michael had left his check in the back. Knowing that he'd need it, she put it in her back pocket and made her way to his apartment.

She knocked a couple of times and waited for him to answer. When he didn't, she looked for the spare key Michael kept outside and went inside.

"Michael?! Michael?!"

She put the keys on the table. When she looked up, Michael was coming out of his room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He was towel drying his hair and looked confused at seeing her in his apartment. Liz felt her cheeks get warm and she looked toward the key on the table to hide them.

"Liz? What're you doing here?"

"I came to drop off your check." She pulled it out of her back pocket. "You're off for the next two days and I know you'd probably need it."

He came over and took it from her. "Thanks. I have errands to run in the morning and I wouldn't have been able to pick it up."

Liz smiled. "Glad I could help."

"Grab something to drink I need to talk to you." Michael suggested, grabbing a chair to sit on.

Liz, not knowing what this was about, did as she was told. She opened the fridge and grabbed a peach Snapple.

"Why do you have a box of peach Snapple in your fridge? I didn't even know you could buy a box that big."

"You can't." Michael answered without thinking about it.

Liz was confused. "So, how did you get it?"

"From work." As soon as Michael answered he winced. Why did I say that?

"From Meta-Chem?! Michael, you just got that job!" She put her Snapple back in the box. "Please take that box back."

"Why?"

"I don't want you to get in trouble." She said honestly.

She could tell Michael was annoyed with her, so she decided to drop it for now and change the subject. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Wow, she's not like Maria at all. Maria would have kept nagging and making me feel guilty until it would turn into a fight.

"Michael!" Liz waved her hand in front of her. "Hello?"

"Sorry." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to talk about Max and Maria."

She groaned and rolled her eyes. She thought he was different and wasn't going to give her a speech. "You know what, Michael—"

"Let me talk, Liz." He interrupted her. "Max called me and asked me to watch out for you. He and Maria keep talking about how you and he should be together because you guys love each other. And I'm going to tell you the same thing I told them."

Here it comes.

"I told them to leave you alone."

Liz was in shock.

"He kept saying that you guys make your own destinies and I told him that you had chosen it and he wasn't in it. Maria keeps obsessing about it. She doesn't understand why you aren't together. Like I said earlier, she sees what she wants to see. I can see he wasn't making you happy, Liz. He hurt you too much and didn't treat you right. He let you down too many times. I'm sorry you've been put into this situation. To them, you're being difficult and you're the bad guy cause you don't want to be with him. I just wanted to let you know that I'm with you. I understand what you're going through and I'm not judging you. Max isn't the good guy everyone sees him out to be. I told him I'd watch out for you but not for him. We, Isabel, Max, Nasado, and Tess have put you through too much over the last 2 years. I want you, Maria, Valenti, and Kyle, I want all of you to be able to live normally, to live happily. I'm sorry for all the times I made things harder for you. You've given up a lot for us." Michael was being so open that Liz didn't know how to react.

She'd never seen someone look so vulnerable, open, and raw with emotion.

"Thank you, Liz." Michael scratched his eyebrow, not knowing what to do or say next.

Liz smiled and blinked away her tears, knowing full well that it would make Michael even more uncomfortable than he already was.

"Thanks, Michael. That means a lot. I know how close you are to Max and I know how much you love Maria, so I know how hard that must have been for you. You stood by me in that way and I'll never forget that." She walked toward the door and opened it.

"Liz."

She looked back at Michael.

"Call me when you get home tonight. You know after you talk to Kyle."

She nodded. "Hey, Michael."

"Yeah?"

"Take that Snapple back Guerin." And she shut the door, making her way back home to get ready for her night with Kyle.


	2. Chapter 2

Michael, of course, didn't listen to Liz but regretted it all the way to work. Later that night, when he and his co-workers were fired, he cursed and wished he had listened to her. At the same time though, he didn't think they'd been fired because of Snapple.

"I'm telling you, they're screwing the little guy!" He yelled over the phone at Liz.

"Michael! You got everyone fired?!" Liz had called knowing he'd want to know how her night had gone with Kyle.

"Don't give me any grief right now. Please. And I don't think it was over Snapple. That doesn't make sense."

Liz frowned, thinking about it. "Ok, we'll deal with that later." She sighed. Like they didn't have enough problems. Michael, you're gonna be the death of me. "Anyway, about Kyle, he didn't want to talk about it."

"He didn't say what was going on?" Michael scratched his eyebrow and pulled up a chair.

"No. According to him, there's nothing going on. He says I'm reading into things too much and I should just stop worrying. But the more he denies it the more I worry. What're we gonna do Michael? He's losing weight, too much weight, and then gaining it."

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Let me think about it. I'll meet you tomorrow at like 4 for tutoring."

"Ok. Yeah, that's fine."

"Thanks, Liz."

"For what?"

"For tutoring me. And for being a good friend for Kyle. God knows when Tess left, everyone was screwed up and nothings gotten better. I know you're hurting but you fight through it to help everyone else out. So, thanks."

Liz tried to smile; her eyes glittered with tears. She nodded. She was trying to be strong and sometimes she thought that her friends forgot she was hurting too. "Thanks, Michael." She swallowed and cleared her voice. "See you later."

"Night." He said before hanging up.

Later when they got together for tutoring, Michael ended up telling Liz exactly how everything had happened leading up to getting fired the night before.

"And he didn't have proof!" Michael yelled.

"Besides all the empty Snapple lying around." Liz smiled but kept her laugh to herself.

"Whatever. And then guess who I just saw at the store just now on the way here?"

"Who?"

"Steve?!"

"Who? Who's Steve? Your co-worker Steve?"

"Yeah, he was applying at the grocery store. And guess what he tells me? He's got a wife and kids! He needed this job to take care of his kids." Michael stopped talking and Liz could see how bad he felt.

"Michael."

"I'm gonna get our jobs back."

Liz didn't know what to say. "Um, ok."

"I'm gonna break into Meta-Chem and return all the Snapple."

Liz waited for Michael to go on but that was it. "Michael, what are you going to do once you return it? Call anonymously and tell them where the Snapple is?"

"YES!"

"Michael, just let it go. I'll talk to my dad and he'll work you more hours. Tell, Steve to come by. Maybe we can help, you know get him a job here."

"Liz, you know your dad is overstaffed. This is my fault I have to fix it." Michael scratched his eyebrow and frowned.

"What?" Liz asked. She was proud of Michael. He was doing the right thing. His idea wasn't the best but at least he was being more open with people.

"I feel weird."

"How?"

"About the whole thing, you know?"

Liz smiled. "You care, Michael. These guys matter to you. By the sound of things, you guys have fun at work and have hung out outside of work. They're your friends."

Again, Michael shook his head. "I'm not used to caring about people."

Liz laughed.

"No, really. I mean I grew up trusting Max and Isabel. It wasn't until recently that I had any friends or acquaintances even. When I read your diary, I knew I could trust you. Maria, Alex, Kyle and Valenti could get hurt and I'd be there. But like I said this has all been recent. I know you're all my friends and you would be there if any of us needed you but with these guys, I can hang out with them and be myself even if they don't know my secret."

"I'm glad you finally have that Michael." She smiled at him and then added, "And yes, I would do anything if you needed me. I trust you 100% and we are friends."

They got to finally studying. There was a biology test Michael had to ace to prove he deserved to be in class and to prove he was serious about graduating.

"So, let's get on to the subject of Kyle." Michael said after a couple of hours.

"Michael." She looked up at the clock.

"What? C'mon Liz we've been at this for 2 hours."

She nodded. "Ok."

"So, he claims nothing's wrong. Huh?"

"It's like he's not Kyle anymore. I'm telling you, he's gaining and then losing a lot of weight. I'm really scared for him."

"Ok, I think we should get Isabel, Maria, and Valenti's help. I'll talk to Valenti, I mean that is his son. Maybe he knows something. If he doesn't, we'll get together to come up with something. To tell you the truth, he's really freaking me out. We all—"

"What the hells going on?!" Maria's voice surprised them and they heard the door slam.

Both Michael and Liz turned to see a pissed off Maria at Liz's door. They looked at each other not knowing where she was going with this.

"Michael?! Why didn't you call me?! I've been calling you for hours."

"I turned off my phone." He said like it was obvious.

"It's your day off. You had to call me to go out. And when I finally find you, you're with Liz! What are you doing here?!"

"I woke up not long ago. I was tired. And I've been telling you that I'd call you late because I had to study for this bio exam."

"Hello?! So, why are you here with Liz?"

"Maria, Liz is a bio geek. She said she'd have no problem tutoring me. I asked you last week if you thought she'd go for it, remember?" Michael was getting irritated.

Watching, Liz felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave but it was her room, so she stayed in her seat.

"So, where were you before that?" Maria probed.

"I've been here!" Michael didn't like all her questions.

"It's true; we hung out a bit before we started with this." Liz thought she needed to help Michael out here.

Maria's mouth was wide open as she looked from Liz to Michael and then back again. "You guys don't talk. You never hang out."

It was Liz's and Michael's turn to look shocked and their mouth hung open as their eyes met.

"Maria, Liz and I have started to talk and hang out since Max pulled all that shit on her. I saw how obsessed he was and offered Liz my help."

Liz felt offended that her friend hadn't noticed the friendship she was forming with Michael and sad to think her friend wasn't paying attention to anything but herself.

Maria looked from Michael to Liz again totally in shock. "So, what you guys got close forming the 'I hate Max club'?"

Liz bit her tongue.

"Michael you have always been jealous of Max but to help Liz with this whole absurd idea of living without him so that he won't be happy is cruel. Liz, it's going to take you time to get over what Max did to you. I know you. But if you two keep acting like this, you'll end up pushing him away. I can't—"

"Maria, you really want to stop now." Liz said firmly through her gritted teeth. She didn't care what Maria thought about her but to say Michael was jealous of Max and to think that way pissed her off.

"But—"

"I said stop." Liz stood. "I need you to get out of my room."

"WHAT?!" Maria looked shocked.

"Maria, just leave." Michael grabbed his book and sat on Liz's bed turning away from Maria.

Maria turned her back and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Liz walked back over to her desk and calmed herself. Was that really my best friend? Is that the way she thinks?

They pretended nothing had happened and about an hour later, Michael said he was going to take off.

Liz watched him go and as he left she had no control of the thought that ran through her head. Maria doesn't deserve him.

After Michael left Liz's house he wandered around the park for an hour and then went to the pod chamber. He liked going there because every time Maria pissed him off, he liked standing on the spot where he had decided to stay on earth. Standing on that same spot always brought back the feelings he'd had that day saying he wasn't going back to his home planet. After being there half an hour, he decided that for once, it wasn't working and took off.

Michael was still angry at Maria when he got home. He exercised and let some steam off for about 2 hours and looked at the clock. He decided it was now or never. He took a shower and changed into different clothes. He knew he hadn't thought his plan through but he had to get out and do something. He left and took the Snapple back to Meta-Chem.

"Holy FUCK!" He got scared when he thought he'd been caught. But then, he smiled when he noticed what Karl was doing. Karl was a thief. He called Liz.

"Liz!"

"Michael?" Liz turned in her bed and saw the time. "What is it? It's 1:35 in the morning?"

"Karl fired us because he's stealing from Meta-Chem."

Liz sat up. "What?"

"Yeah, I kinda stumbled onto him taking some vials and stuff. He's selling the stuff I just know it. I had to tell someone. I knew I wasn't completely out of my mind."

Liz almost laughed. "Ok, Michael. We have to be at school bright and early tomorrow. How about we talk about it then?"

"Will you help me come up with something to catch him and get my job back?"

"Of course."

"Night, Liz."

Liz smiled to herself and fell asleep. In the morning, she knew she'd had a dream but couldn't remember what it'd been about, although, she did remember Michael was in it.

Liz went with Michael the next day to talk to all his co-workers. Just in case they didn't like Michael's idea, she was there to support him and to encourage the others.


End file.
